


Caballerial

by EriWritesDrarry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Boss/Employee Relationship, Drarry, F/F, F/M, Hedric, Jealousy, M/M, Muggle AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, boss draco, minor ships, skateboarder au, skateboarder! Draco
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-06-05 12:23:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6704452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EriWritesDrarry/pseuds/EriWritesDrarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“There was a twisting in his stomach that felt less like butterflies and more like moths, frantically searching for a light.” </p><p>Harry Potter thought he knew exactly what he wanted in life, until he finds himself face to face with Draco Malfoy’s ultimate secret, forcing both their worlds upside down. A muggle AU where blackmail, skateboarding lessons, and jealousy go hand in hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drunk Emails and Underground Bullshit

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very excited about this story! It's been a thought I've had for awhile now, but it wasn't until I told my lovely beta reader about it that she convinced me to write it. Speaking of, thank you Anne for your notes! They definitely made the writing better <3 All of you should go follow her on tumblr @magicforthemuggles

**So are you gonna come?**

 

_ Idk Ron. I have a lot of work 2 do. _

 

**Come on, Harry! You’re always working. Just one night.**

 

_ Y not bring Herm1 ;) _

 

**She asked you to stop calling her that, mate. And she’s not into X-Games or skating. Or underground stuff.**

 

_ And u dont want 2 ask her on a date _

 

**…**

 

_ Wuss. _

 

**So are you gonna come or not?**

 

_ No Ron. _

 

**Laaame.**

  
  


Harry sighed, laying his phone on his desk and looking back up to his computer screen. He was in the middle of writing a funny article about “Unicorns: real or REAL?”. The blog he worked for, The Quibbler, made a lot of entertaining crap like that. Of course, that wasn’t the only thing it posted. There were sections of people throughout the office that focused on different genres of articles, polls, quizzes, etc. Harry subtly looked over his monitor at the Events section. Lord, those people looked sickeningly gorgeous with their nonchalant hair styles and blazers that were  _ totally chalant _ . Who were they fooling? They knew exactly how beautiful they were and how much everyone wanted their positions. Events were the most viewed posts throughout the whole site. Everyone wanted the glory of it. Harry hated the way the Events (which is what everyone in the office called them) held themselves, like they were the best goddamn things on the planet. Most of all, he hated that he desperately wanted their job. Not for the glory or crap like that. Harry wanted the position for the pure sake of writing event articles. He was tired of writing “funny” posts without any substance. Sure, it was entertaining. Just not to him. Ironically, his posts got the most hits than anyone in his section. Which might have been why he never got moved somewhere else.

 

“Don’t feel bad, Harry. We’re just as good as they are,” Came a whispy voice to the left of him.

 

Harry came back from his zoning out and turned to his deskmate, “What? Oh, no, don’t worry, Luna. I don’t think they’re better than us.”  _ Just their job _ , Harry thought.

 

Luna smiled softly at him, tucking her hair back behind her ears and revealing extravagant beet earrings. “That’s good. I know you don’t exactly love this section, but you’re really good at it, Harry. And I’m glad you’re working with me.”

 

Harry forced a smile. He loved Luna, but sometimes she unknowingly made him feel extremely guilty. Or maybe it was knowingly. He couldn’t tell. She tended to surprise him with how well she could read people.

 

“Thanks, Luna,” Harry mumbled, turning back to his article. He was about to finish his last paragraph, and add a cute gif for good measure, when he heard a cool, composed voice behind him.

 

“Thomas, what is the meaning of this.” 

 

“I thought it was funny!”

 

“I specifically told you to run crap like this by me. Now our Quibbler email is getting filled with hate mail.”

 

Harry glanced behind him. Draco Malfoy, clad in a pressed suit, stood over Dean Thomas’ desk with one hand on his hip and the other holding out a printed version of said article. 

 

“Look, mate, I-” Dean started.

 

“Excuse me?” Draco raised an eyebrow.

 

“Ah… Look, Draco. It was supposed to be satire! I obviously don’t think the Holyhead Harpies are better than the Chudley Cannons,” He said, pointing to his green Harpies t-shirt. 

 

Draco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Okay, noted. But the  _ point _ , Thomas, is that you should have at least gotten a beta reader to make sure the satire was clear.”

 

Dean nodded, albeit reluctantly, “Okay, okay. Sorry. I’ll run it by someone next time.”

 

“Good,” Draco said curtly, turning to walk back to his office. 

 

Harry caught Dean's eye, receiving a stuck out tongue and a thumb pointed in Draco’s direction. Harry gave a small smile and shrug in reply. Draco was known as the tough-as-nails manager. He looked over the whole of the Quibbler offices, but he was mainly a Public Relations Officer. He made sure the viewers were getting what they wanted and that the posts didn’t get too out of hand. He also helped manage the Quibbler email. Employees were allowed to wear whatever they wanted around the office, but Draco insisted on wearing suits and calling everyone by their last names. Some people said he took his job way too seriously. Others said he was just making sure the place never got too disorganized. Harry didn’t care which one it was, he just wished Draco would lay off a bit.

 

Especially now, as Harry looked back at the door of Draco’s office, contemplating what he was about to do. If Draco was swamped with emails, his decision making might be off, which could be helpful to Harry. Plus, if Dean got off that easy, Harry might have a chance. 

 

Harry had already tried sending an application for the Events section to Draco. It was denied three times without so much of a response. At some point, Harry got really irked and wrote a long email explaining why he should have the position. He was pretty drunk when he wrote it late at night and completely freaked out when he realized he sent it. (The phrase “I’m a good ass writer and you know it, so what the fuck” may have come up at some point). Luckily, Draco never mentioned the email or anything. He only responded with an annoyingly simple “no” and that was the end of it. Harry was too humiliated to try bringing it up again. Until now.

 

Harry glanced back at the office door. He could see Draco sit down at his desk through the translucent glass walls. Fuck it, he decided.

 

“Er… Luna, I have to talk to Draco real quick. I’ll be back.” He said, scooting out of his chair.

 

“Okay,” She said dreamily, still looking at her monitor, “Let me know if he lets you move positions.”

 

Harry smiled, walking over to Draco’s office. Nothing gets past Luna.

 

“Er, excuse me, Draco?” Harry said as he knocked lightly on the door. 

 

“Come in.” 

 

Harry slowly pushed open the door, smiling apologetically. Draco barely looked up from his computer, typing away madly. 

 

“Yes, what is it, Potter.” Draco snapped, clearly fully engrossed in his emails.

 

“I know you’re busy, but I was wondering if I could… take a shot at the Events section.” Harry said, scratching at the back of his neck. “Er, again,” He added hastily. 

 

Draco suddenly stopped, looking at Harry. “No.”

 

“Wha-?” Harry started, but bit his tongue at Draco’s expression. That damn eyebrow was up again. Harry tried his best to level his voice, “I don’t understand why you won't let me at least  _ try _ .”

 

“Because you’re good in the Humor section.” Draco said simply, looking back at his monitor.

 

“Okay, but I could be just as good in the Events!” Harry said, a little louder than he planned. 

 

Draco ignored his outburst. The Quibbler employees could say what they wanted about Draco, but they had to admit, he was one composed motherfucker. The blond turned to him, sighing. “Look, Potter. I get it. You’re tired of where you’re at. But I’ll be frank with you: you and Lovegood are the best Humor writers out there, there are too many people from other sections trying to get into the Events section, and, to be honest, you never actually  _ go _ to any events.” He held up his fist, putting up a finger for each point. “Sorry, Potter. But you can forget about the Event section.”

 

Harry wanted to argue, his mouth already open to say something, but he knew Draco was right. There were too many things against him. He and Luna  _ were _ the best. And probably the least likely to cause issues like the one Dean had. Plus, what events  _ did _ he ever go to? Certainly not the popular, mainstream one’s that the Events went to. How could he ever bring an edge to their section? 

 

“Actually,” Harry said slowly, the idea formulating in his head as he said the words, “I do go to events… They’re just more, er, underground. In fact, I’m going to one tonight!”

 

Draco pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, “Is that so…”

 

“Yeah! I mean, I don’t usually talk about them because, well, er, I figured no one would be interested… but it would definitely bring something new to Events…” Harry trailed off, hopeful.

 

Draco paused, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. Fine. If you would go as far as send an outrageous and obviously drunk email,” (Harry cringed at that), “or lie about some bullshit underground crap to get a chance, then fine.” He swiftly turned back to his computer, starting to type again, “I want that article on my desk by Monday.”

 

“Brilliant!” Harry grinned, practically running out the door, “See you Monday!” He thought he might’ve seen Draco roll his eyes, but was too concentrated on getting to his phone.

 

“So you got in?” Luna asked as Harry scrambled back to his desk. 

 

“What? Oh, no. But I got a chance to switch.” He said excitedly, grabbing his phone.

 

“Oh, well, I hope you get to be in the Events. You’re a good writer no matter where you are,” Luna said, a genuine smile on her face. Harry paused, in the middle of typing his phone password, just to appreciate how happy Luna could be for others.

 

“Thanks, Luna.” He grinned, before turning back to his phone.

  
  


_ Hey what time is the thing @??? _

 

**You want to go, now? Why?**

 

_ Tell u l8r _

 

**Okay, we’ll have to leave right after we get off work.**

 

_ Wat y _

 

**Because we have to take the rails to get there.**

 

_ Wtf y _

 

**Look, mate, I can’t take you seriously when you use text speak.**

 

_ RON _

 

**My car’s in the shop. Don’t worry, we’re meeting a friend there so they can drive us back.**

 

_ Meet u at usual place? _

 

**Yup. See you then!**

  
  
Harry smiled, slipping his phone into his pocket and turning back to his work. Finally, he was getting a chance at writing something of substance. He looked at his finished post, hoping it would be the last Humor article he had to write, and decided to add another gif or two. For good measure.


	2. Damn, That’s a Big Ramp

“Ron, when you said ‘underground’...” Harry said, getting out of the car and looking around at the crowd surrounding them. It was an ocean of heads filling up a stadium sized skate course. It was located practically in the middle of nowhere, on a giant plot of land that looked like it used to be a bunch of buildings. Around the perimeter were mini obstacle courses where people on bikes and skateboards practiced on. There were also concession stands serving alcohol and greasy food. Harry, however, couldn’t stop looking at the main attraction. Standing smack dab in the middle of the field, surrounded by bleachers that could fit thousands, was the largest Mega Ramp he’d ever seen. He stared at it, slack jawed.

 

“Wicked.” Ron said, following out behind him. He zipped up his jacket in the cold air. The sun was just starting to set, making the ramp even more stark against the pink and orange light.

 

“Told you it was worth the trip, Ron.” Cedric Diggory chuckled, coming around from the driver's seat. He was kind enough to pick them up from the closest rail stop. Harry didn’t know him all that well, but he worked with Ron at a primary school. Ron was a PE teacher and Cedric taught year fives.

 

Ron clapped Harry on the back. “Looks bloody great, right?” He grinned.

 

“I thought you said it was going to be a small underground thing!” Harry said, still processing the excitement around him.

 

“Okay, I under exaggerated a bit,” Ron conceded, “It’s just not super popular on the news and all that… But come on! It’ll be even better for your article. You’ll be with the Events in no time.”

 

Harry sighed, “Yeah, I guess.” He had explained his Events opportunity in the car to both of them and was a little irritated they failed to mention his misunderstanding about the venue.

 

“What’s wrong with this?” Cedric asked, genuinely concerned. He tilted his head so it was a bit more level with the two shorter men. 

 

Harry shook his head, “Nothing.”

 

“He’s not a big crowd person,” Ron explained.

 

“Oh, do you need to go back or-?” Cedric started, resting a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

 

“Come off it, Ced. He’s not one of your students. He can take care of himself.” Ron reached over and punched Harry lightly on the arm. 

 

Harry shot him a half-hearted glare before turning to Cedric, “Don’t worry, mate. I’ll be fine. Just gotta get used to it.”

 

Cedric smiled, “Okay, if you say so. Do you guys want drinks, then? I can go grab some for us.” He gestured to one of the concession stands.

 

Ron nodded, “Brilliant. We’ll go grab our seats.”

 

Harry and Ron walked towards the Mega Ramp and followed the security persons directions to their assigned seating. 

 

“I still can’t believe this was legitimate. I thought when you said underground you meant it wasn’t entirely legal,” Harry commented, settling in his seat. Ron sat to the left of him and pulled out one of the programs they were given about the competitors. 

 

“When have I ever gone to an illegal event?” He demanded.

 

“Plenty of times. And I know, because I’ve been the one you dragged to all of them. Remember that dirt racing one that was in the back of some rich blokes back yard? Or the roller derby in some girls basement that got shut down because someone called the cops? Or-?”

 

“Okay, okay, okay,” Ron waved Harry off, “Point taken.”

 

Harry chuckled, opening his own brochure and browsing the names of the contenders. They had little bios and pictures next to the names. He wasn’t really paying attention to all of the facts and figures. It was entertaining to read the stage names some of them had. There were obvious ones like “Sk8er-X” and “The Carve”, but then there were other ones referencing odd skater terms like “King Pin” and “Maverick”. Harry saw one interesting name in particular, but before he could decipher it the photo to the side caught his eye. It was the profile of a thin, pale face. The lighting shadowed any particular details, but Harry could see distinct blond locks peeking out from a dark green beanie. He couldn’t quite place it, but they looked familiar to him.

 

“Hey, don’t they look like-?” Harry started, but Ron had already turned to him with a devious grin on his face.

 

“So, what do you think of Cedric?” Ron asked, his eyebrows perking up.

 

“Er… He’s cool, I guess? Why?” Harry asked, scooting a bit away.

 

“I thought maybe you guys would hit it off,” Ron said hopefully.

 

“Wha-?” Harry cocked his head in confusion before it clicked. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Ron, when I told you I was bisexual that wasn’t an invitation to set me up with every gay bloke you know.”

 

“What? I haven’t been doing that! Plus, he’s not gay, he’s bi, too.” Ron said. He shrugged, “I just think it’d be a good match. Plus, he’s good looking, right? I mean, to your lot?”

 

“My lot?” Harry smirked.

 

Ron went a bit red, “You know what I mean, Harry. Whatever, mate, just think about it. He says he wouldn’t mind getting to know you, either, so-”

 

“You  _ told _ him I was interested?”

 

“Well, yeah. Why? Wrong move?” Ron looked guilty.

 

Harry shook his head in exasperation, his cheeks starting to heat up. He cleared his throat, “It’s fine, Ron. He knows this is just casual, right?”

 

“Yeah, of course!” Ron said, desperately trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry, he doesn’t think this is a date or anything.”

 

Harry gave him a sideways glance before rolling his eyes and grinning. Ron smiled back, punching him in the arm again. 

 

“Arsehole,” Harry chuckled.

 

“You always seem to be punching him, Ron,” Cedric chastised, suddenly appearing by Harry’s side with beer and snacks.

 

Harry laughed and took the drinks, passing one to Ron. “It’s a special kind of friendship. He punches me, I make fun of him in front of the love of his life. Fifty, fifty.”

 

“Ah, I see.” Cedric laughed as Ron spluttered in indignation. “That’s the lovely Hermione, correct? Didn’t you all go to uni together?”

 

“Yup. They actually hated each other until the second year.”

 

“Really? Why?”

 

Harry shrugged and sipped at his beer, “Ron was kind of a dick, so…”

 

Ron went red, “What? She was the one always trying to correct us about every little thing!”

 

“Maybe you needed correcting,” Cedric murmured into his beer. Harry chuckled and glanced over at him. He had dark brown hair, a chiseled jaw and gold-flaked eyes. Ron was right. Even a straight guy might question his sexuality with these looks. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get to know the bloke better? The prospect seemed nice.

 

“Okay, I didn’t invite you to come with us so you both could take the piss out of me,” Ron grumbled, helping himself to the food Cedric brought.

 

“Okay, okay, we’ll lay off,” Harry smirked, looking back at his program. 

 

“Hey, Ron, you been following the player's?” Cedric asked, looking over Harry’s shoulder to see the contestant list.

 

Ron nodded vigorously, “‘Course! Especially that Slytherin bloke. He’s gonna be the winner of the whole tournament.”

 

Cedric chuckled and Ron sent him a glare, “I know you don’t like his style, but you have to admit: he’s the best we’ve seen in the last four years!”

 

He shrugged in response, still smiling and taking a swig of his beer.

 

“Wait, wait, wait. Slyther... In?” Harry cocked an eyebrow, looking at Ron.

 

“Yeah! They call him that because he came out of nowhere in the tournament! Plus, he’s got that green snake thing on his board. Boom. Slytherin.”

 

“That has got to be the dumbest fucking skater name in the history of skater names.” Harry said flatly.

 

“Whatever, mate. It’s not like he named himself.” Ron said defensively. 

 

“Seriously, it sounds like a horrible dick joke,” Harry continued. He saw Cedric hold back a smile next to him.

 

“Does not!” Ron said, his face getting a bit red with irritation.

 

“Skater Dude would have been better.” Harry said, making Cedric laugh.

 

“You said you liked the name, Cedric!” Ron leaned forward, glaring at his so-called work friend.

 

Cedric grinned, “Harry has a point. Sorry, mate.”

 

Ron groaned, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. Harry nudged him playfully until he got a small “whatever” and the slightest of smirks. “You’re both against me today.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get you sweets or something to make up for it. Don’t be such a baby.” Harry waved him off, receiving another well-deserved punch.

  
  


They spent the rest of the time talking about the tournament, work and any other random thing that came up as they waited for the event to start. At some point, Harry noticed that Ron stopped engaging in the conversation, allowing him and Cedric to talk more. It might have been awkward if Cedric wasn’t so bloody easy to talk to… A little too easy. Harry was starting to get suspicious that this was the type of person who could literally do no wrong. One of those “can’t help but love them” kind of people. Harry usually had issues with those types (mainly because he got jealous easily), but it was hard to feel irritated with Cedric when every time you spoke he listened like it was the last thing he would hear. Plus, the guy was hot. So… there was that.

 

“It’s starting!” Ron exclaimed, grabbing at Harry’s arm and shaking him. 

 

Harry looked around to the Mega Ramp. It was illuminated by the bright stadium lights as the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon half an hour ago. Two announcers started speaking through microphones, their voices carrying throughout the whole stadium, although Harry wasn’t sure where they were. There were two gigantic screens that had yet to be turned on hanging on either side of the stadium. The setup might have been impressive, but there was no denying the amateurism of it all. Then again, creating such a big event without any media behind it was a feat on it’s own.

 

“Welcome, welcome, welcooooome!” One announcer’s voice bellowed to the audience. The crowd cheered at the sound. “Are you all ready for some skating?”

 

More cheers erupted in response.

 

“Alriiiiight! I’m your announcer, Lee Jordan, along with Zacharias Smith. How are you doing, Zach?”

 

“Fantastic! I’m ready to introduce our contestants. How about you, Lee?”

 

“You know it. What about the audience? You guys wanna see who’s up for the challenge?”  The crowd was roaring, practically out of their seats. Ron had jumped up and started whooping.

 

“Alriiiiight! Contestant number one… The Caaaaarve!” Zacharias started as a skater walked to the top of the Mega Ramp platform and waved. The screens turned on at that point, showing a close up of his face. The introductions continued on like that, each announcer switching off to show off a new skater. Ron and Cedric started to get into the excitement, jumping up from their seats and hollering for their favorite skaters. Harry stood up and cheered, too, but mainly for the fun of it. He didn’t really know anything about the contestants. Or the sport, for that matter. Either way, it was fun to yell along with the audience.

 

“And now…” A hush fell over the crowd at Lee’s ominous tone.

 

“Here he comes…” Ron whispered in anticipation.

 

“The moment you’ve all been waiting for… The amazing…. SLYTHERIN!” Lee roared as a streak of green, black and silver shot through the contestants and skated down the ramp, quickly turning around at the halfway hill and rolling back up to the platform. Everyone was out of their seats by this point, screaming over this new skater. Ron punched Harry in the arm in excitement, bellowing along with the crowd. Cedric cheered, too, but much softer compared to the people around them. Harry furrowed his brows, wondering what was so special about this contestant when he froze. The screen zoomed in on the newcomer, framing the thin face and platinum blond locks. His face looked cold and controlled, but there was an inexplicable wild look in his eye. He wore a loose white muscle shirt that’s sleeves were cut low so his torso was exposed, allowing Harry to see the tattoos that scattered over his arms and ribs. His skateboard was held tightly in his hand, a dark green snake painted on the bottom of it. All of this made Harry question and re-question what he was seeing.

 

“Holy fuck,” Harry said, causing both Ron and Cedric to turn to him.

 

“What’s wrong?” Cedric asked.

 

Harry gaped, unmoving as Ron and Cedric looked at him quizzically. 

  
“That’s my boss. That’s… That’s Draco Malfoy.”


	3. Freedom with a Four Wheeled Drive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me so long, I had a lot going on recently. Also, for those of you who are curious as to where I'm getting my skating vernacular, check out this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_skateboarding_terms <3 Once again, thanks for reading!

A faint sound rang in his ears, but he otherwise paid no attention to the crowd around him. The bright lights and thundering atmosphere was nothing to Draco Malfoy. Starry-eyed fans did little to sway his determination. Plus, he wasn’t here for the fame or how many weak kneed people would swoon at the sight of him. He was just there for the tournament. Nothing more.

 

Draco glanced around the audience, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to tell who was who even if they were wearing a hot pink unicorn onesie. Despite that he searched for his friend, Blaise Zabini. It took some convincing, but Draco managed to get him to come. Although, he may or may not have owed him a week's worth of dinner because of it. Blaise didn't have a problem with Draco skateboarding or anything. He just really hated x-games. They were boring to him. (Which, of course, Draco could not begin to fathom.) Yet, he still somehow found a way to drag Blaise to the event. He most likely came because of some heartwarming bull like friendship or whatever. Draco’s lip twitched in a fleeting almost-smile at the thought.

 

Draco stopped looking for Blaise and turned his attention to the other contestants. They wore loose clothing and protective gear. He could tell from their stances that they were nervous. Their expressions were calm -although their eyes would flick over to him every few seconds- but their shoulders were tense and their fists clenched. Draco caught one of their glances and sneered. Sweat immediately formed over their upper lip and they quickly looked away. He chuckled to himself, turning back to the ramp in front of him. He wasn’t in the tournament just for the winner’s bragging rights, of course, but a little competition and intimidation never hurt anybody.

 

The announcer called for the first skater to begin. Draco and the other contestants took a few steps back to allow him his spotlight. He did a few good tricks. Not too shabby. Draco saw that he had a Goofy-Foot and favored Carving. Made sense, as his skater name was The Carve. A ridiculous name in his own opinion. Although Blaise would say that _his_ was no less laughable. Not like he chose it, anyways. They gave it to him once he had started getting noticed in the earlier competitions.

 

By the time the second contestant was up (She was a tall, toned girl who had a knack for making the simpler tricks look fancy. Although her air time was pathetic.), Draco was thinking back on the beginning of all this commotion.

  


_Draco had thrown a brochure at Blaise, flopping down across from him in their flat._

 

_“Look.”_

 

_Blaise had raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he flipped through it. “You sure you want to get into this?”_

 

_“Of course. Please, Blaise, I wouldn’t just go into a decision without thinking through it.”_

 

_“What about your job?” Blaise had still looked doubtful._

 

_“What about it?” Draco had said, a bit snappish._

 

_“I don’t think they’d be very happy with you taking on this kind of project. Given their track record.”_

 

_Draco had shrugged, flashing him a wicked grin. “Then I guess I’ll have to make sure they don’t find out.”_

  


He huffed at the memory. It still made him nervous when he thought about how big this little project had gotten. Luckily it was in the middle of nowhere and the only people who knew about it were hardcore skater followers. Plus, he looked so different outside of work he doubted any of his co-workers would recognize him. They barely saw him out of his office anyways.

 

His head snapped up as the announcer called him up to the plate, pulling him out of his worry session. He nodded and walked to the edge. Staring down at the Mega Ramp, he hoped to God this debacle was still small enough to not catch the attention of his superiors. He was expected to look proper and clean cut. All suit and no edge. Well, that may be how he was at work, but it was nothing close to how he was in the real world. Which, to him, was pretty much the skater world. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This is what he was meant for, he reassured himself. No amount of doubtful friends or unimpressed family would keep him from this. Everything he touched, heard and breathed was skateboarding. It was freedom with a four wheeled drive.

 

He opened his eyes again and dived. The crowd went wild but they sounded like nothing compared to the raging wind blowing against Draco’s ears. He felt like he was flying as he zoomed towards the ground, coming back up on the middle hill for a quick ollie before switching his footing so that he was facing the opposite way.

 

The announcers voices managed to pierce through all the varying sounds. “No… This can’t be happening…” He heard one of them say despite the booming crowd. Draco couldn’t tell which it was. Jordan? Smith? Didn’t matter. He bent his knees to get more momentum towards the ramps other edge.

 

“Zach, is he doing what I think he is?” The other announcer said, sounding stunned.

 

“Lee. He is.”

 

Draco could feel the ramp curve up and readied himself for the edge.

 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, it seems our Slytherin is attempting a… a Caballerial! Now, for those of you who don’t know,” Jordan spoke rapidly, as if trying to get the information out before Draco could land the trick, “a Cab is a 360 ollie while riding fakie-”

 

“Which is rolling backwards,” Smith interjected.

 

“Yes, and it’s never been done before on this big of a ramp so if Slytherin makes this-!”

 

Draco made his final stance before zooming off the ramp, doing a 360 turn high into the air, almost horizontal to the stadium, and landing back onto the decline, facing the opposite way he was going.

 

This time he heard the crowd loud and clear. It was obvious, even from there, that every single person was standing. The announcers were spouting rubbish, too excited and blown away to make any kind of sense. Draco smirked, doing another ollie in the middle to right his rolling direction, before jumping off his board and trotting beside it as his momentum died down. He waved to the crowd briefly before hoping off the ramp and going back to the sidelines where the other contestants were. Some of them had their jaws hanging open, ready to catch flies, and others just clapped him on the back whilst giving him props. Since he was the last of the contestants to perform, the announcers were supposed to be giving the crowd a wrap up and encouraging them to stay in their seats for the results and interviews. However, they were still composing themselves after the show Draco put on. He smiled to himself as he caught his breath, still bubbling with the faint feeling of pride.

 

An interviewer worked her way through the line of contestants, asking them various questions about their performance, before one of the cameras rushed over to him. The woman was one of the staff members who doubled as an ameteaur interviewer.

 

She grinned at the lens then turned to Draco. “So, Slytherin! Mind if I ask a few questions about your exciting performance tonight?”

 

Draco nodded, giving a charming smirk to the camera, “Of course.”

 

She giggled and the cameraman blushed. “Well, about that Cab! So far in our smaller competitions you’ve used that move before, but never like this! How was that experience for you?”

 

“It was freeing,” Draco said coolly, “I’ve never really done a move that big before, but all the practice was worth it tonight.”

 

“And how do you expect to outshine tonight's show with the next tournament stage?”

 

Draco tutted playfully, “A bit presumptuous, are we? How do we know if I’ll even make it to the next round?”

 

Even the crowd got a laugh out of that.

 

* * *

 

 

After the interviews were over and the results were announced (Draco was first place for the next round), the contestants shuffled towards the small trailer that was rented for them. Draco could still hear the announcers going on about the next events.

 

“Remember skaters, after next round there’ll be only two to go! And you do _not_ want to miss what’s coming up. Tickets for the next event is being sold at the front! Remember to…”

 

Draco stopped paying attention by the time he was inside the trailer and headed straight for his locker. A lot of the contestants mingled after the tournaments, but he just wanted to be home so he could manage the emails still filling up his inbox. He gritted his teeth thinking about how close he was to killing Thomas that morning.

 

Suddenly, he felt a soft pat on his shoulder. He looked up to see one of the contestants smiling at him and reaching out his free hand.

 

“Hey, I’m Ben. Well, better known as Maverick. But you can call me Ben.”

 

Draco looked down at Ben’s hand and back up to his face, his expression blank. “Charmed, I’m sure.”

 

Ben’s smile faltered a bit as his hands retreated back to his sides. He scratched at the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly, “I, uh, just wanted to say you were really good out there. The Cab was crazy. You must have worked on that forever, man.”

 

Draco raised an eyebrow, “As most of the tricks we perform here.”

 

Ben laughed nervously, “Haa… Yeah, anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to get together… Maybe trade some skating secrets?” He tilted his head and raised his eyebrow suggestively, smirking a bit.

 

Draco paused, before sneering, “Weren’t you eliminated today? What secrets would you have that I didn’t already know?”

 

‘Maverick’ looked at Draco incredulously, “E-excuse me? You’re not the only-”

 

“Hey, babe. Great job out there.” Blaise interjected, appearing behind Ben. He pushed past him to throw an arm around Draco.

 

Draco smiled at him as they ignored Ben’s presence until he walked back over to the other skaters, “Glad you could make it.”

 

Blaise shook his head and rubbed his fist in the blond’s hair, “Why do you have to be a fucking jerk all the time?”

 

Draco waved his hand away and combed through his hair, “Not my fault the boy thinks he’s in my league.”

 

The dark skinned man shrugged, relinquishing Draco’s shoulder and stretching as he watched the other contestants file out to meet fans and other interviewers. “So are you going to stay to talk with the adoring fans?”

 

“Psh, doubtful.”

 

“Come on, Draco! It can’t hurt to work the crowd a bit, can it? Just meet a few fans. Maybe you’ll get a little...” Blaise wiggled his eyebrows.

 

“No, Blaise. You know it’s too dangerous. What if I get recognized?”

 

“Please, like anyone would recognize you in that getup. They’d have to have memorized every angle of you.”

 

“Drop it, Blaise. Also, I would _hardly_ call this a getup.”

 

“Okay, okay. But you can’t deny the public for long. They’ll start getting restless and stalk you.”

 

“Yeah, right. What moron would attempt that? Please, I’m not worth the trouble.”

 

Blaise shrugged, “Whatever you say. But I’m telling you, those morons are out there. And they’re persistent.”

 

“Okay, well,” Draco huffed, pulling his duffle bag over his shoulder and slamming his locker shut, “If I ever meet one, I’ll give them a big smooch just for you. Sound good?”

 

Blaise merely laughed, “Alright. Don’t blame me when they fall in love with you or some crap. With your luck it’ll be the cute skater boy you just miffed.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes, pushing Blaise out the door, “Whatever. Just drive me home and I’ll buy us some take-out.”

  
Blaise flashed one of his usual sultry grins (that really just meant he was happy), practically skipping out to the field, “Deal.”


	4. You’re a Shite Texter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm taking so long with these chapters! Life has been crazy. As per usual. But don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story! Feel free to leave comments and all that. <3 And check me out @i-see-my-otps-in-erised on tumblr for more drarry things.

Harry was a moron.

 

Why the bloody hell did he have to listen to Ron? Write an article, _that determined whether he got a promotion_ , mind you, for an underground x-games event? What about that plan screamed ‘good idea’ to _anyone_?

 

He was practically hyperventilating in the car on their way back home. He laid his head in his lap and pulled at his hair.

 

“...Is he gonna be okay?” He heard Cedric ask from the front seat.

 

“Yeah, just give him a minute. Watch, he’ll start yelling at me in five. Four. Three. Two.”

 

Harry’s head snapped up as he pointed an accusatory finger at Ron, “You’re the reason for all this!”

 

“One. See?”

 

“Ron!”

 

“Bloody hell, mate, it’s not like I could have known. Calm down. You sound like Hermione.”

 

“Why did I listen to you? This was a horrible idea. Even worse than that time with Filtch and Mrs. Norris.”

 

“Hey, that wasn’t my fault! How was I supposed to know he’d blow a fuse if he was missing his cat for more than five seconds?”

 

“You guys stole a cat before?” Cedric raised an eyebrow from the driver's seat.

 

“I bet my _job_ on this event, Ron.” Harry leaned forward in the middle seat to be level with the both of them. “I can’t write a report for my boss about his own secret life! What am I gonna say?”

 

Ron shrugged, “Maybe something like: ‘while the ambiance was welcoming and exciting, I think the most interesting aspect was the fried food. Hands down. Also, my boss ended up winning the tournament. We’re very proud.”

 

“Ron.”

 

“I’d read that.”

 

“ _Cedric_.”

 

They roared with laughter as Harry hung his head between the two front seats.

 

“Brilliant advice. Both of you.”

 

“Harry! Why not just let him know you saw him? Or just write about it and leave him out of the article?” Ron suggested as his laughter died out. He turned in his seat and raised a ginger eyebrow at him, the freckles on his cheeks stretching with his grin. “I feel like you’re making this more complicated than it is.”

 

Harry shook his head, “No, Ron, you don’t understand. He’s probably the most private, rule-following, up-tight, strict,” He gripped at the back of the car seat, sinking his nails into the rubbery fabric slowly, “ _tense_ person I’ve ever met.”

 

“You sound into him,” Cedric commented. Harry could hear a smirk in his voice.

 

“Bugger off,” Harry snapped, a faint warmth spread over his neck.

 

“I’m still not following why this is such an issue.” Ron shrugged, turning back in his seat.

 

“It’s a problem because this is obviously a secret. _His_ secret. If I gave him an article that had even a _hint_ that I knew about this, there’s no way he would think of anything but blackmail.”

 

Ron nodded, silent for a moment. “Okay. So what are you gonna do?”

 

“I…” Harry furrowed his brows. What _was_ he going to do? There was no way he could possibly write this article without Malfoy knowing where he actually was… Was there? Harry spent the rest of the car ride in silence, mulling over his dilemma while Ron and Cedric chatted about the tournament.

 

* * *

 

 _Draco Malfoy_ |

 

The name stared blankly at Harry as it sat in the search bar on his computer screen. Harry shook his head and deleted it, retyping:

 

_Slytherin_

 

He hit enter. All that came up was some obscure blogs and unknown businesses in other countries entirely. No matter what keywords he used, nothing remotely close to skateboarding or Malfoy appeared.

 

“Bastard must have found a way to wipe it…” Harry sighed in frustration, rubbing his face and leaning back in his chair. _It would make sense, though_ , He thought. _He’s definitely rich enough to do it._

 

Just then his phone buzzed.

 

**How’s the article going?**

 

_Who is this?_

 

**Haha, Cedric :)**

 

A grin spread over Harry’s face.

 

**Sorry, is it okay that I asked Ron for your number?**

 

_Lol yea its ok. U get home ok?_

 

**Yes :) How’s the article?**

 

_Ugh._

 

**Haha. It’s due tomorrow, right?**

 

_No. Man._

 

_*Mon_

 

**So you have time, then?**

 

_Yea. Still not sure if i shud do it._

 

**Well, you can always change a few details. Maybe it was extreme biking, not skateboarding.**

 

_Lolol gud idea._

 

**Wow, Ron was right.**

 

_Rite abt wat?_

 

**He said that you’re a shite texter haha**

 

_Ron can fuck off_

 

**Haha, I should screenshot this and send it to him.**

 

_U wont_

 

**You’re right I won't haha :) Tempted, though.**

 

_Y r u up this late anyways?_

 

**Working up the courage to ask you out, to be honest.**

 

Harry could feel his neck and ears heat up. A steady blush crept over his cheeks.

 

_Wow ur smooth_

 

**Haha, not really.**

 

**So, are you free tomorrow?**

 

_Yea. where do u wanna meet @?_

 

**I’ll pick you up. It’s a surprise :)**

 

_Lol ok :)_

 

**Tomorrow then. See you around 7.**

 

_Tomorrow then._

  
Harry sighed and set his phone back down on the desk. He grinned as he switched off his laptop and got up to prepare for bed, his search history long forgotten.


	5. Less Like Butterflies and More Like Moths

Harry woke up groggily. His alarm clock was ringing next to him, loud and obnoxious. He raised his arm and slammed it against the machine, but instead of hitting a clock, he just banged his wrist against his dusty nightstand. 

 

“Ow!” He lifted his head, seeing only a lamp and a stack of messy papers atop said table. It dawned on him that he didn’t have an alarm clock and the incessant ringing -or, more like, buzzing- was from his intercom. 

 

“Who the-?” Harry shuffled out of his tangled sheets, putting on his glasses and quickly grabbing his phone. As he walked towards his door he checked the clock on the screen. It read 7:12 AM. He groaned, pressing the speaker button on his wall and clearing his throat. “Yeah, hello?”

 

“Hey, Harry.” A familiar voice responded. “You ready?”

 

It took a beat before realization hit. 

 

“Cedric?” Harry said incredulously. 

 

“Haha, were you expecting someone else?” Cedric teased.

 

“No! But, well, er- Why are you here so early?” Harry scratched his head, messing up his hair even more so.

 

“I said I’d pick you up at seven.” He replied simply.

 

“...In the morning?” Harry questioned, his voice sounding wary. He noticed the pitch was a significant octave higher and cleared his throat.

 

“I, uh, also said it’d be a surprise?” Cedric said hopefully, a small chuckle escaping him.

 

“Well.” Harry stared at the clock on his phone for a few moments. “It’s definitely a surprise.”

 

“Harry.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“Can I come up?”

 

“What? Oh!” Harry hit the button to the left of his finger, opening the main entrance doors. He quickly turned, glancing over his messy flat and rushing to pick up all his dirty clothes or discarded papers. He ran past a full length mirror, freezing as he saw a skinny, brown, curly haired boy in nothing but his boxers and holding a pile of stinky shirts.

 

“Oh, good lord-” Harry sighed, scrambling over to his dresser to throw on a t-shirt and jeans. He was in the middle of kicking things under his bed when there was a light rap on the door. He straightened, doing one last look around, before hastily wrenching open the door. He attempted to look nonchalant, but stopped short when he saw Cedric's outfit. Shorts and hiking boots with a small, yellow backpack.

 

“Hey!” Cedric smiled warmly, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.

 

“Uh, hey.” Harry said distractedly, looking him up and down. “Should… Do I need to change?”

 

Cedric looked down at his shoes then to Harry’s thongs. He laughed. “Yes. I think you might have to.”

 

“Huh.” Harry turned and retreated back to his room, leaving the door open. He heard Cedric close it as he rummaged the closet for something more suitable.

 

“You’re flat is nice!” He called from the living room.

 

“It’s small,” Harry replied, pulling on walking pants and searching for his left tennis shoe. It was lodged under a few coats that had fallen to the floor from their hangers. He leaned back and started to untie it.

 

“You take photography?” Cedric was standing in the doorway. He held up an expensive camera with a rather large lens. 

 

“Oh, uh, kind of. It’s just for fun. I don’t do anything with the pictures.” Harry nodded to the wall in front of him, strewn with glossy photos of landscapes and smiling people. Cedric surveyed them as Harry tied up his other shoe. 

 

“Wow, these are amazing… Is this Hermione?” Cedric asked, pointing. Ron was in it and had his arm around a black girl's shoulder, barely visible behind her thick, bushy hair. They were laughing, Ron a bit hunched over and clutching at his side with his other hand.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“She’s beautiful. They look good together.” 

 

“Ha. If only Ron had the guts to ask her out. She’s been waiting for him to do it all year.” Harry snorted, standing up.

 

“Why doesn’t she just ask him out?” 

 

He shrugged, “She wants him to take initiative or something.” Harry collected a water bottle and some random snacks in a pack he found on the floor, “Ready?”

 

Cedric nodded, already headed for the door. He paused as he reached for the doorknob. “Hey…” He said, turning to him, “Why don’t you bring the camera?”

 

Harry raised an eyebrow at him, “Where are we going?”

 

Cedric grinned, “Just bring it.”

 

* * *

 

“Holy shite.” Harry panted. He snapped a photo of the sky, perfectly blue with streaks of cloud and sunrays. The whole city was below them, basking in the glow of it all. They had just reached the top of a grassy hill. Mountain, more like. Wind rolled through waves of green and brown, racing towards the bottom that seemed miles away. 

 

“Beauty, isn’t she?” Cedric breathed, grabbing his backpack and setting it down. He didn’t break a sweat the entire way up the hill, all the while Harry was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. It wasn’t that Harry was unfit- he was in plenty of sports in high school and college- it’s just that hiking wasn’t his strong suit. He wasn’t all too fond of the uphill aspect.

 

“I would have brought you earlier to see the sunrise, but I thought waking you up at five in the morning would keep me from getting a second date.”

 

“Smart bloke, you are.” Harry laughed. He walked around the area, taking pictures as he explored the small nook. Cedric sat down and pulled things from his bag. Harry didn’t notice what Cedric was doing until he ran out of things to photograph and glanced behind him. A blanket was laid out with a small loaf of bread and different types of cheese. He was pouring a bottle of sparkling cider into glasses.

 

“Wh- How did you manage to get all that in your tiny bag?” Harry said incredulously, walking over to sit down.

 

Cedric winked, “Magic.” He offered him a glass and clinked his own against it. 

 

They ate, drank, and talked as the sun steadily rose above the city. They talked about their jobs and hobbies. Cedric traded embarrassing stories of Ron for horror stories about work, co-workers, or Malfoy as a boss. Harry took more pictures, some of Cedric and some of random creatures that stopped by, curious and trusting. They managed to stay quiet and still enough for a small bird to land on their leftover bread and peck at the crumbs. 

 

After another hour, they packed up and headed back down the path. They enjoyed the hike in comfortable silence, interrupted by the occasional click of Harry’s camera.

 

“Hey,” Cedric said, a few minutes away from the place where they had parked. “How come you’re a writer?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“I don’t mean to pry or add my two cents, but…” Cedric looked ahead at the dirt trail, “It doesn’t seem like you actually enjoy what you do. I mean, to some extent, sure. But, why not become a photographer?”

 

Harry was silent for a moment, deciding whether he should be honest in his answer or not. “My father was a writer.” Cedric was the type of person you couldn’t lie to.

 

“Oh. And he wanted you to be one?”

 

Harry shook his head, “No, he and my mum died when I was young. I was raised by my aunt and uncle who absolutely hated him. They said being an author wasn’t a real job and that he never published anything in the first place.”

 

Harry paused, only continuing when Cedric remained silent. “I guess part of it was me wanting to connect with him in some way. Especially since I never got to meet him. Then again, I probably just wanted to stick it to my dick of an uncle.”

 

Cedric chuckled at that.

 

They finally got to the car and headed back to Harry’s flat. Cedric walked Harry to the building’s entrance, but didn’t go any farther.

 

“So, I’ll see you again?” He leaned against the wall, smiling. 

 

Harry nodded, a slight blush creeping over his neck.

 

“Hey. Thanks for telling me all that stuff about your family. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

 

Harry shook his head, “‘S fine…”

 

Cedric smiled again. It was warm. The type of smile that would give anyone butterflies. He leaned down and kissed Harry’s cheek, just at the corner of his mouth. With a wave, he sauntered back to his car down the street. Harry touched the place where Cedric's lips had been. It was the type of kiss that would give anyone butterflies. 

  
His brow furrowed. There was a twisting in his stomach that felt less like butterflies and more like moths, frantically searching for a light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling a lot more energetic, so here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a comment! I may not reply to them all, but I love them nonetheless <3


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